Microsoft Announces iMessage Support on Windows With Several Limitations

[MacRumors]

Microsoft today announced that it is adding iPhone support to its Phone Link app on Windows 11. The app allows iPhone users to make and receive phone calls, send and receive text messages, and view an iPhone's notifications directly on a PC.

Notably, the app brings limited iMessage functionality to Windows. After pairing an iPhone with a PC via Bluetooth and granting some permissions on the iPhone, users can send and receive iMessages and SMS text messages in Phone Link, but there is no support for group chats or sending photos and videos.

As noted by The Verge's Tom Warren, Phone Link also lacks full message history for conversations and displays all sent and received messages as gray bubbles, meaning iMessages and SMS text messages cannot be differentiated.

Microsoft says iPhone support in Phone Link will be available in preview starting this week for a "small percentage" of Windows Insider members enrolled in the Dev, Beta, or Release Preview channels. The preview will be expanded "over time."

Article Link: Microsoft Announces iMessage Support on Windows With Several Limitations

 

[ThisBougieLife]

Limited or not, it’s a step in the right direction. This is something I thought would never happen.

 

[Kissmo1980]

Limited or not, it’s a step in the right direction. This is something I thought would never happen.

Agreed! This is awesome!

 

[Stella]

Great for iPhone owners who use only Windows.

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

Too bad I switched to Mac back in 2021. My Windows PC exists for games and games only at this point.

 

[philrock]

Definitely a step in the right direction. I use the iMessage feature on my Mac more than I thought I would. Having even limited functionality when I'm on my PC will be nice.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Awesome feature but I'm a mac person. Glad to see, this option is out there for PC users.

 

[kylelerner]

It’s essentially using the same Bluetooth support stack as your car would to send and receive text messages.

 

[ThisBougieLife]

Definitely a step in the right direction. I use the iMessage feature on my Mac more than I thought I would. Having even limited functionality when I'm on my PC will be nice.

Same, basically. My PC is for games and for updating the firmware on my Fiio DAC (which so far can only be done on Windows).

 

[Amazing Iceman]

It's a beginning. A+ for the effort.

 

[ian87w]

Well, good job Microsoft. This is a great addition on top of iCloud Photo syncing with Windows Photos app.

Yeah Apple, how’s your buggy Ventura doing?

 

[bag99001]

Curious when / if Apple will block this...

 

[MayaUser]

Curious when / if Apple will block this...

Microsoft couldnt have done this without Apple...so this is here to stay

 

[krspkbl]

Awesome. I've always wanted to use the phone link feature on Windows. I was going to move to Mac but decided to upgrade my PC instead due to Apple's nonsense.

Will give this a shot when I can.

 

[WilliApple]

Ok, this is unexpected. I never would have thought this would ever happen...

If we get more stuff like this and Arm on Windows, I may switch to Windows.

But that search bar on the dock... kinda holding me back.
Limited or not, wonder how Apple feels.

 

[alchemistmuffin]

How long before Apple sends cease and desist and updates iOS to block this?

Because I’m sure this is actually against TOS for iMessage, especially the sending part.

 

[Jhonjhon236]

Ok, this is unexpected. I never would have thought this would ever happen...

If we get more stuff like this and Arm on Windows, I may switch to Windows.

But that search bar on the dock... kinda holding me back.

That search bar is easily disabled by a software toggle. And it is the taskbar not the dock.

 

[surfzen21]

Is this user end encrypted?

If not and not supported by Apple then no thanks.

 

[foobarbaz]

I'd love to have mirrored notifications on my Mac, TBH.

 

[Coochie Boogs]

Never thought this would happen, but it doesn't seem like a bad thing. Not everyone uses a Mac, it's convenient to get messages in this fashion. I use iMessage on my laptop quite a bit.

 

[jljue]

This could be useful for my wife once it matures. This feature might be worth the fuss from her to upgrade her W10 PC (too old to upgrade to W11) to a W11 PC. However, I don’t see my company allowing us to use iMessages on our work computers when we do upgrade to W11; using MS Teams (and Office 365) with mixed Android/iOS devices plus Windows 10 has been a good experience for us.

 

[infinitedreams]

How long before Apple sends cease and desist and updates iOS to block this?

Because I’m sure this is actually against TOS for iMessage, especially the sending part.

They are fine with the photos integration so I’m sure it’s the same for this.

 

[TheOldChevy]

If iPhone pairing is made with Apple, I mean that it will really work, then this is big, for Microsoft and for Apple.

 

[TruthWatcher412]

Great but hope group chats become supported eventually.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Microsoft couldnt have done this without Apple...so this is here to stay

I agree it's not going to be blocked by Apple, but I'm not sure it took Apple's consent or cooperation. As another poster noted, this seems to be just the same Bluetooth pairing that's available via car. I don't think Apple is going to block it but I also don't think Apple is going to do anything to help it be more than that either.